A new Mellorine
by DangoCorn
Summary: Sanji is sent to our world and ends up in a girl's room. Luck might have been with him, but what's the deal with those moving metal objects on the streets? And what's a laptop? The cook finds himself exploring the modern world with a girl that slowly develops strange feelings towards him. But when the time comes of his departure, will she go back with him..or will they part ways?
1. Chapter -1-

**I've seen many stories with OC's being teleported to the One Piece world, but only once did I see the idea of the straw hat pirates going into the modern world.**

**So I suppose this inspired me to have the idea of taking only one of them into the modern world with a time limit of how long they can stay there.**

**So thank you, very much, for the writer who inspired me c:**

**Culprit: Sanji 8D!**

** kinda only got inspired by the summary of the story and the idea of going into the modern world, so I'm not sure who the author is exactly, but I _did_ look for a story with the straw hats going to a modern world and boom 8) I found a chapter written by JackJackJackie2. I haven't read it, but you can check it out if you wish.**

** For a while I've been thinking of pairing Sanji with an OC, and thought doing it this way would be more interesting.**

_**I don't own the display picture.**_

**SHALL WE?**

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><p>Sanji made his way through a carnival that their… <em>mature<em> captain decided to go to. The crazy island they'd landed on was known for its festivals and famous magic shows.

AKA: the ideal island for Luffy.

The cook moved from stand to stand, tasting the treats and quietly listing the spices that were used. As he approached the last food stand, an aged woman that sat behind it greeted him.

"Sir," she said, lowering her voice. "Did you know that the world we're in isn't the only world in existence?"

Sanji paused before biting into a piece of chicken that was skewered on a wooden stick. "Huh?"

"There's an entire world outside our own…" she explained, her eyes reflecting the bright moonlight, "No man has ever dared to explore it. Do you have the courage?"

"Not interested," he replied before giving his finger a quick lick to get rid of the stickiness of the barbeque sauce. "There's a spice in this that I can't put my finger on…mind telling me what you used?"

"Coward," she jeered, making Sanji's curly brow twitch in annoyance.

"What'd you say?" he hissed. An absurd chuckle escaped the old woman's throat. She got up and gestured for Sanji to follow her.

He wasn't going to leave with that irritating geezer thinking he was a wimp. In normal circumstances, he wouldn't give a crap. He had no clue why he was reeled in so quickly by her. Rolling his eyes, he stomped away from the food stand, wondering if going after her was worth it.

They reached a small tent. Reluctantly, Sanji ducked and walked into it. The old woman held a gold bracelet which she quickly slipped onto Sanji's wrist. She might've been a wrinkled little lady, but she had fast movements.

"The heck…" Sanji whispered as he watched the bracelet shrink in size until it circled his wrist perfectly, making him unable to take it off. There was no clasp to free him of it either.

"Oi, what the hell?" he snapped, struggling to take it off. The woman's low giggles filled the small tent.

"Don't worry, sir," she soothed. "According to the myth of this bracelet, you'll be back in seven days. No one has tried it in aeons, though, so it's not for sure. But once you do return, I expect a full report about it. All the best!"

"HOLD IT! Come back from where?! You'd better answer me, you old fart, or I'll be your worst night-"

Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to finish his threat. As quick as someone falls asleep, he was swept away from the tent and into pitch darkness.

He woke in a start. Realizing he was rolling comically, he embraced himself before crashing into a wall.

"Damn…" he whispered in a pained tone, rubbing his head. He blinked a few times, his vision still blurry. He was definitely not at the carnival anymore.

"Holly crap… WHO ARE YOU?!" someone yelled. Sanji raised his head only to be welcomed by a girl sitting quietly on her bed, with…what was that? Some kind of machine on her lap…

That aside, she was very pretty. As every other woman was to the cook.

The girl slipped off her bed.

Gracefully, he got up and gave his hair a flick. "Miss, if I may introduce mys-"

He was getting interrupted quite a number of times that day. But this time, it was by a swift kick in his stomach.

"WHO-WHO ARE YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE? HOW'D YOU GET IN ANYWAY? ARE YOU A BURGLER? I'LL CALL THE POLICE! AND I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I'M PRETTY GOOD AT MARTIAL ARTS! WANNA SEE?!"

Sanji, suddenly remembering the situation he was in, got up and slammed his fist into the wall. "Shit…what am I gonna do…a week? Wouldn't that mess up our route if we stayed on the island that long …?"

He shook his head and focused his gaze on the girl again. Her short brown hair was wild, and her irises were as big as his favorite saucers. She was in a fighting stance, but her legs shook, betraying the confident look on her face.

"I'm not gonna do anything to hurt you, miss," he said, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. "And I'm not a burglar. I'm a cook. Well, and a pirate."

The girl stopped shaking and instead, an amused expression danced on her young features. "A pirate?"

"BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! ARE YOU AN IDIOT?!" she broke into a fit of laughter, slapping her bed madly. "AWH MAN! WHAT ARE YOU, A KID?"

Sanji was more than a little confused. Deciding he'd better explain the situation, he pointed to the bracelet that dangled from his left wrist.

"An old woman gave me this thing and sent me away. I'm not from around here, actually. I'm from North blue, and just a few minutes ago I was in the grand line with my nakama."

"Your what? Nakama…?" she repeated, stifling her laugh. Sanji let out a puff of smoke and nodded.

She wiped her eyes from the tears that had formed due to her laughter. "Sure, whatever you say. Now, mind if you get out of my house? I don't think my parents would approve of me having a boy in my room. Especially a boy with a bizarre swirly eyebrow."

Sanji wiggled despite himself. "Mellorine~ your wishes are my command!"

The girl knitted her eyebrows, backing away. "Heh? Mellorine? Those terms you're using are kind of creeping me out…"

"You're so cute when you're confused!" he swooned, tilting his head back and forth in admiration.

"Aha… now please leave, I need to get back on my laptop and finish a project I'm working on," she said, indicating with her hands that she wanted him to get out of the room.

"Laptop?" he repeated.

"Uh, yeah, my laptop," she said, pointing at the object that had been on her lap earlier.

"What's that?"

A smile appeared on her lips. "Acting oblivious, huh? Old way to flirt, man."

Sanji stayed silent, taking another drag off his cigarette.

"Gosh, what've you been doing, living in ignorance?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief. She sat quietly on her bed, losing herself in deep thought, yet still keeping an eye on him.

Sanji looked out the window and noticed not one, not two, but countless metal objects moving one after the other down the streets. He had seen ships, he had seen motorcycles, but he had never seen anything that modern.

"Whoa, that's some advanced source of transportation," he casually pointed out.

"Oh, my God…" the girl whispered, burying her face in the palms of her hands.

"Ah, my darling! Forgive me for my rudeness," he suddenly cried out, looking away from the window and giving her a slight bow. "My name is Sanji."

"Even your name is weird…" she whined quietly before collecting herself. She was still very wary of him, but managed to sit up and give him a crooked smile, "I'm Ivy."

…

**Meanwhile**

"Uhm…guys?" Nami murmured. Everyone was gathered in front of the Merry.

"Where's Sanji?"

"It's weird…I can't catch his scent…" Chopper proclaimed nervously, sniffing the air, "Not at all."

"Good," Zoro mumbled, only to be slammed into the ground by the worried navigator.

…

"Be quiet!" Ivy snapped as she walked down the stairs, followed by Sanji who was making ridiculous mumbling noises.

"Cutie cutie cutie~" he bubbled, making a jingle out of every compliment he thought of. As she reached the front door, she gave Sanji a quick pat on the back.

"Nice meeting you," she told him, her tone clearly showing she didn't mean it in the least.

Once she opened the door, she pushed Sanji out. "See ya!"

And with that, she shut the door, leaving the cook standing on her front steps, looking out onto an entirely different world. Even the air smelled different.

Sanji continued smoking his cigarette, wondering what the heck he was going to do. He had some money on him, but not enough to stay anywhere decent.

So, he simply walked out the gate and observed the small neighborhood he was in. His eyes locked on a girl who was jogging on a sidewalk across from him. She gave him a quick glance.

"Lookin' lovely!" he said, sending her a wink. He wasn't expecting such a reaction, but she let out a piercing scream and ran off. Sanji blinked a few times. He heard a loud slam of a door coming from behind him.

"What did you just do?!" Ivy rushed out towards him, looking around frantically. "I just heard a girl scream…did you do anything weird?!"

"Ivy-chan~ I only gave a pretty lady kind words," he explained innocently. Ivy squinted.

"Chan?" she repeated. "Did you just call me Ivy-chan?"

"Haai, Ivy-chwaaan!" he repeated, this time clasping his hands together for effects. Ivy slowly placed her hand on her forehead.

"My friend who's into anime and that kinda thing…she calls me that for fun," Ivy explained.

"Anime?"

The cook was getting a little tired of all the unfamiliar terms.

"Yes, anime," Ivy whispered absentmindedly. "Just…follow me into the house. But quick, my parents get home from work in a couple of hours."

The cook happily skipped towards the house again.

As they walked up the stairs, Ivy shook her head in frustration. She walked into her bedroom, followed by Sanji, then quietly closed the door. She gestured for him to sit next to her.

"Alright…see here," she said after opening her laptop. Sanji was very impressed with it.

"Wow, that's incredible…so you're able to contact people and search recipes on here?" he asked. She nodded impatiently.

"Yeah, but never mind that for now," she mumbled. She clicked on a site which showed a list of different anime. She scrolled through them quickly.

"Look," she said, pointing at them briefly. "My friend watches this sort of thing all the time. And some of the terms you're using remind me of it."

Sanji's eyes quickly caught _One Piece_ in the anime list. He gently lifted Ivy's hand off the mouse, which took her by surprise.

"Wait!" he said. "One Piece…I just saw something that says One Piece."

"Yeah, that's an anime," she explained, cocking her eyebrow. "I've only heard of it though, don't know the plot or characters."

Sanji put his hand over his head. _Nah…it couldn't possibly be the One Piece I know…_

"Can you uh…show it to me?" he asked. There was no harm making sure. Nodding, she scrolled up and clicked on the name.

Sanji almost choked on his own spit.

Ivy wasn't in any better condition.

"NO WAY!" they both blurted out. Ivy looked back and forth between what was on the screen and Sanji.

"This is no joke…" she finally whimpered as she gave his whole body a thorough scan.

"Same eyebrow…same hair…same eyes…everything."

Sanji was not only shocked, he was also horrified.

"People _watch _us?" he asked disbelievingly.

Ivy bit her bottom lip. "Who cares about that now?! Why the hell are you real?!"

He vowed that as soon as he got back, he was going to make sure he looked extra good for his lady-stalkers.

"That old fart really was telling the truth," Sanji groaned to himself, once his perverted thoughts subsided.

"We can't have you running around looking like an anime character," Ivy said, trying not to freak out. "Uh…we're gonna have to change your clothes and…maybe give you a haircut..."

Sanji raised his eyebrows. "Nothing against you, my dear Ivy-chan, but I'd rather keep my hair the way it is."

She knitted her eyebrows. "Alright then…maybe a hat could work. But even with all that, your eyebrow stands out like a sore thumb.

"But…I still need to be 100% sure this is true. I'm still trying to convince myself this isn't some sort of prank, and this being a dream is out of the question," Ivy decided, almost blanking out.

"You said you were a cook, right?"

"I can cook whatever your taste buds crave!"

"Uh…thank you?" she murmured, not quite sure how to react to the way he said it.

She turned her attention back to the laptop and typed in his name.

She mentally face-palmed as she noticed an entire Wikipedia page about him. By reading it, she confirmed that indeed, the anime character Sanji was a cook from North blue, and was in a pirate crew called the _Straw hats_.

"Alrighty," she finally said as she closed her laptop. "I'll believe this is real if you can cook me an exquisite meal in less than an hour."

She observed the cook's reaction, but was mildly surprised that he didn't seem to mind or feel pressured at all.

"Is there something in particular you'd like to request?" he asked, starting to walk out the door.

"Hmm," she muttered, following him down the stairs. Her eyes brightened.

"Mushroom soup!"

Ivy led him to the kitchen, where she took out all the things he needed and placed them on the counter.

"Do your magic," she said with a small smile. "You can use whateeever you need. I'm just gonna watch you."

Sanji thanked her and got to work. Rolling his sleeves up, he began with chopping the meat. Ivy found herself gaping as she marveled at how gracefully he prepared the ingredients.

"Do you mind me putting pepper?" he asked.

"Oh, right!" she piped. "Yeah, I'm actually allergic to it…"

"Haaai!" he cheerfully confirmed, returning to adding the other spices. The kitchen was starting to smell really good. Ivy couldn't help but clench her fists in excitement.

He stirred the pot of soup on the stove, gradually starting to add the thinly sliced mushrooms.

"You're so skilled…" she stated in awe, forgetting the point of his cooking. Sanji gave her a watery smile.

"It's so wonderful to hear that from you, melloriine~" he cried out. Turning off the heat, he took out a wooden spoon and dipped it into the soup before offering it to Ivy.

She blew on it a few times and placed it in her mouth. Taking her time savoring all the flavors, a broad smile crossed her face. "Whoa…"

"This is _so amazing_!" she almost squealed. Sanji wiggled and starting spouting incomprehensible compliments. The door of the kitchen burst open.

Ivy turned her head towards the door, and a nervous look spread across her face.

"Oh…hey, mom…and dad."

…..


	2. Chapter -2-

**HEY 8D!**

**Juuuuust to be sure, here's the name of the author that has a story posted about the Straw Hats going to the modern world.**

_**JackJackJackie2.**_

**Inspiration is a wonderful thing, I tell you.**

**Thank you for your support C:! *Wiggles***

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><p>"Oh…hey, mom…and dad."<p>

Ivy's parents stood at the door, dumbstruck. Her dad's hair was as wild and brown as hers, but his glare interrupted Sanji's observation. The mother looked young to have a daughter Ivy's age, in Sanji's opinion, and looked more confused than angry. She walked towards the cook, who had a little dab of the soup on his chin. As she got closer, her eyes grew in size, giving Sanji an uneasy feeling.

"Holly mother of nature…" she whispered, now squinting. She grabbed Sanji by the shoulders and turned him around to make sure she scanned every inch of his body. Leaning forward, she stared right into his eyes.

"Sanji…?" she said at last. Ivy raised her eyebrows and let out a confused "Ehh?!"

"Mom, you know him?" Ivy asked, as muddled as ever. Her mom nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course, I do! I might've been legally an adult when this show began, but I was a full-pledged One Piece fan," her mom explained, now laughing. She gave Sanji a rather harsh slap on his back. "Though, when you started getting into your teenage years, things kinda went crazy, and I haven't watched that show since."

"Why did I not know of this…?" Ivy whispered to herself. Laughing nervously, she gave her mother an apologetic glance. "But uhm…mom. He's real. Aren't you…I don't know, surprised?"

"Well, heck yeah, I'm surprised!" she said, now poking Sanji's eyebrow repetitively, making him back away in irritation. "I'm actually fully convinced I'm dreaming right now, sweetie."

"Trust me, you are not," Ivy groaned. The father cleared his throat loudly to get everyone's attention. He gently took off his coat before walking towards Sanji, who hadn't said a word since their arrival.

"Get out," the father said, plain and simple. Sanji cocked an eyebrow skeptically. Ivy gulped quietly as she reached out towards her father's arm.

"Dad, I uh…" she began, but paused as she thought how ridiculous it was that she was about to defend a boy she met a couple of hours ago.

Her father waited patiently for her defense, but the look in his eyes told her she was better off not trying. Slowly, she pulled her hand back and refused to look at the cook that had kindly cooked her very favorite dish. With a small sigh, she clumsily threw the wooden spoon into the sink.

"Sir, madam," Sanji broke the silence with a charming smile. "I'm sorry for intruding. You see, this may be hard to believe, but according to your daughter, I'm an anime character. I'll only be here for a week or so."

"Oh, my," Ivy's mother whispered, her expression showing she genuinely believed that she was dreaming. Ivy whined quietly. Her dad was definitely not going to believe him. In fact, he was so mad that Sanji was "mocking" him that he ended up snapping.

"Get _out_!" he yelled. Ivy gave Sanji a hurried pat on his back, leading him out of the kitchen. She told him to wait before dashing up the stairs. Sanji awkwardly stood by the door, making sure he didn't do anything else to get her in trouble. Once she returned, a big bag was in her hand, which she sheepishly tried hiding. Sanji stepped out of the door, Ivy following closely behind

"Ivy, you are not going out with him," her father commanded with a clench of his fist.

"Let me _at least _get him a cab," she demanded. He was about to protest when her mom interfered, saving them. With that, Ivy and Sanji made their way out the gate. The cook wasn't quite sure why her dad was so angry, since all they were doing were eating. On the other hand, if they'd been caught kissing…

Sanji wiggled.

"I'm sorry, Sanji," Ivy said, interrupting the cook's line of…well…imaginations, "Really."

"Nothing to worry about, Ivy-chan. Trust me when I say I've gone through much worse," he reassured her with a laugh. She gave him a half-hearted smile before opening the bag and taking out a sweatshirt, a pair of old sunglasses, and a winter hat.

"I was in a hurry, couldn't get you anything better," she apologized, handing the clothes over to him. When he finished dressing and ending up looking like a complete idiot, she led him away from her house and towards the main street.

"There's a cheap hotel not very far from here. You could stay there for the time being," she told him. "Oh, right…do you need money for that?"

"Ah, no, I've got that covered."

He hoped.

Ivy nodded, but her mind seemed to be wondering off. As they approached the main street, she noticed Sanji slowly walk away from her, as he was being attracted by a group of girls not very far from where they were standing.

"Sanji! Dammit…" Ivy gasped, grabbing him by his collar before she lost track of him. Giving the hopeless cook a glare, she pointed towards the moving objects on the street.

"These things are called cars," she explained, trying to make him snap out of his love-state. "They take you to places. And the yellow cars with the word _Taxi_ printed on them can take you wherever you want, but you need to pay. Now…when you see one, just wave your hand and they'll stop to get you. Understand?"

"Haai!" he confirmed, recovered. Sanji was quick to catch a glimpse of one coming, and enthusiastically waved his hand.

"OOOIII! BASTARD!" he called out.

Ivy's jaw was close to falling off her face. People around them gave them disapproving looks and were silently mumbling between themselves, which caused Ivy to hide her face behind Sanji, ashamed.

"You IDIOT!" she snapped quietly, refusing to look up. The taxi driver poked his head out of the car.

"Go to hell!" he barked at Sanji before driving away, leaving a flustered cook and a ridiculously embarrassed girl behind. Sanji huffed irritably.

"That shithead," he said, almost as loud as he'd called out to him. Ivy could barely contain it. Quickly, she grabbed Sanji by his wrist and, head lowered, walked away from the scene. Normally, the cook would've gone crazy since; after all, a pretty girl was dragging him away forcefully. But this time, his concern about her behavior surprisingly outweighed his delight.

"Um…Sanji," she finally said once they'd gone far enough. She looked at him in an almost pleading way. "Leave this to me, alright?"

Sanji furrowed his eyebrows before nodding. She knew better, after all.

They walked up and down the sidewalk, waiting patiently for a cab to appear. Sanji observed Ivy, who was busy scanning the cars. Something about her was definitely different, and for some undetermined reason he didn't feel the urge to…well, look at her cleavage.

Sanji shook his head, utterly confused. How could it be? He always wanted to look at women's cleavage…

He placed the back of his hand on his forehead to check his fever. Nah, he was fine. But gee, that was a first for him…

"San-ji?" Ivy called out, waving her hands in front of his face. "Helllooo?"

Sanji snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at her with a questioning gaze.

"I got us a cab while you were out of it," she explained, pointing at a yellow car. She gestured for him to follow her. "I'm gonna come with you and show you the way to the hotel."

The taxi driver gave Sanji a wary look before driving off. As soon as they were comfortably seated, Ivy scooted towards the window, which gave Sanji the wrong idea. Maybe he really did make her uncomfortable by his lovey-dovey behav-

_WHY AM I SO CONCERNED?!_

Exasperated, Sanji took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. The driver seemed to be annoyed by that, but once he got a glare from the cook, he turned his attention back to the road again, deciding it was a better idea to tolerate it. As the awkwardness of the silence increased, Ivy finally decided to speak.

"So tell me, Sanji," she requested. "What are your friends like?"

"Nakama," Sanji corrected with a smile. Ivy seemed a bit confused. "They're my nakama."

"Is there a difference?"

The cook nodded. "Nakama are…more than friends. You would do more for them than for your friends."

Ivy mused, shifting slightly closer to Sanji, eager to hear more. "Tell me about them!"

Sanji smiled.

"Well, to start with, Luffy is our captain. He's a complete idiot," he began, fixing his hat so he could have a better look at Ivy.

Ivy smiled uncertainly. "An idiot, huh?"

"Yeah. But he's one hell of a captain," Sanji explained with a chuckle. "He has this weird obsession for meat, food in general, and picking his nose."

Ivy, a both disgusted and amused look on her face, began to laugh. The more Sanji talked about them, the more excited he got. Perhaps he only showed his love or caring for the ladies of the crew on the outside, but truthfully he cared deeply about each of them.

A-ha. Even the shitty Marimo.

Sort of.

"Wait, so your nakama is also your rival?" she asked, shaking her head. "For real?"

"Haha, yep, pretty much. And then there's Nami and Robin…" he said, his voice turning strangely serious. Ivy listened closely. The cook, who was now staring out the window in an overly-dramatic manner, gave his cigarette a flick.

Ivy's eyes widened. "SHIT! ARE YOU OKAY?"

A line of blood was trickling down his nose. Though it seemed like something serious, his expression showed otherwise. He was suppressing ridiculous giggles, and Ivy could've sworn the smoke that escaped his mouth had swirled into the shape of a heart. She wasn't sure what to think of the situation, but was quick to lean forward in her seat and grab a tissue box from beside the driver.

"Hey!" the driver snapped, looking back. "That'll cost ya!"

Ivy shot him a glower before taking out massive amounts of tissues and pushing them onto Sanji's face, making him cough from the close-call of suffocating. They'd finally arrived in front of the hotel, and were practically thrown out of the cab. With a laugh, they slammed the door of the taxi after giving the driver what they owed.

"Well, here it is," Ivy announced, pointing at a small, yet homely-looking building. "It's not fancy or anything, but it's cheap and rather comfortable."

Sanji clasped his hands together sensationally; however he felt slightly downhearted that Ivy was no longer going to be accompanying him. Ivy, who was now smiling at the cook, had a look of disappointment in her eyes as well. Although, that could've been Sanji's imagination.

After all, has he _ever_ encountered a girl that he'd met the same day, who genuinely wanted his company?

The answer is no. That would also be a first.

...


	3. Chapter -3-

**Helllllooo C:!**

**Replies to guest reviewers:**

**Gnat: **_Eheh, I'm very sorry for not replying to you the first chapter! Anyway, thank you for that 8D! But…(I repeat myself way too much, I know) the idea of any of the straw hats going to the new world isn't originally mine. Honestly, until this day, I'm not sure if I would have thought of this if I'd seen the summary for the story about the strawhats going to the modern world or not, so I give credit to the creator to be on the safe side. I give credit to her on the first two chapters C:! I do hope you enjoy the rest of the story, though ;D!_

**Aquatenea: **_Your English sounds very nice! Thank you for the review, it makes me verrrrry happy to hear that ;-;! I'm sorry you don't understand all the expressions, feel free to ask me about any of them if you wish! Hopefully, you'll enjoy the rest of the fic C:!_

_**Thank you for the support, everybody, it truly makes me happy 8D!**_

_**OHH-KAY! Onto the chapter.**_

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><p>Awkwardly, Ivy rubbed her left arm and gave Sanji half a smile.<p>

"Explore well," she told him, receiving a nervous chuckle from the cook, who was failing to fake excitement. Ivy hadn't the slightest idea why she was so disappointed, for she had met him only that day. Not to mention the fact that he _did _have the qualities of a pervert. Sanji took out another cigarette, which proved to Ivy how much he depended on the stuff. Ivy reached towards his hat and gently pushed it down, which sent a chill through his body.

"We don't want people recognizing you. Thank you for the soup!" she finally said before turning around and heading towards the cab again. Sanji waved. The cook turned on his heel and walked up the stairs to the entrance of the hotel. It was, like she had described, very homely and had a comforting aura to it, ignoring the fact that the hygiene of the place wasn't exactly high-class. He was slightly lost at first, but managed to get to the receptionist, who happened to be a very old, kind-looking man.

"Good evening. I'd like to get a room here for-" Sanji stopped himself before deciding on a week. He didn't even know he had enough for that long, and he certainly didn't want to put himself in an awkward position. Pulling out the money and placing it on the counter, he rested his elbow on the counter and waited.

"Ah…" the receptionist said as he finished counting the money, "This'll only be enough for five days, sir."

_Shit_, Sanji thought.

"Make it three," the cook nodded; deciding that he wanted to keep some money for whatever else he happened to need later on. He'd figure out where to stay once his three days were over. As he was being escorted to his room, he thought of how interesting it would be to go around the city and look for new kinds of spices. Surely, in a place this modern, he would find new and improved ways of cooking.

He unlocked the door to his room and stepped in, struggling to find the switch to the overhead light. When he finally figured out that it was right by the door, he gave the room a quick scan. A small bed, a window, a door leading to the bathroom –or so he guessed-, and some sort of peculiar big screen.

"Huh…" he mumbled, bending down and observing the buttons that lined the side of the screen. He tried pressing the first one, which surprised him by lighting the screen up with moving figures and loud sounds. Sanji was taken aback.

"Ah…" he finally concluded, "Kinda like the showing they do with den-den mushies."

_A/N: You know how they showed the war of the best with den-den mushies to people in Sabaody Archipelago? Yeah, that…_

A controller sat by the screen, which he gingerly picked up. He began pressing randomly on the buttons. As he pressed on one of them, the sound went way up.

"Dammit!" he whispered, frantically looking for the button that reversed whatever he'd done. Instead of lowering the sound, the pictures on the screen changed from one to the next. From a woman screaming, to a child singing, to a weeping man.

"SCREW THIS SHIT!" Sanji yelled, throwing the controller onto the floor and flopping onto the bed, which ended up breaking as he had been too forceful.

"You're kidding me…" he whispered, getting up. Ruffling his hair in a frustrated matter, he fell back on the mattress that now lay on the floor, deciding he was too exhausted to fret over it. It seemed to be forever until he opened his eyes again.

_Knock-Knock_.

Sanji shifted, refusing to get up.

_Knock._

He buried his head in the pillow.

_Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock…Knock-Knock_

"ALRIGHT, FOR GOD'S SAKE!" he bellowed, dragging himself off the mattress. He sleepily patted down his wild hair before opening the door.

"Morning, grumpy," Ivy greeted, her hair much neater than it had been the day before. Aside from that, she had surprised the cook, who was nowhere near presentable-looking.

"Ivy-chan?!" he exclaimed, smiling wildly. He was about to go for a hug before noticing her father, who was standing a few feet away from her. Sanji quickly turned the attempted hug to a polite shake of a hand.

"I swear if you make a move, sonny…" her dad threatened, making Sanji cock his eyebrow in response. If only he knew how unafraid the cook was of him. He turned his attention back to Ivy, who gave him a nod meaning she'd explain to him the situation. She hurried him in the room, of course, followed by her father, who seemed to be a little too clingy.

"It took me all night, Sanji," Ivy began, heaving a tired sigh, "all night to convince my mom she wasn't dreaming. And once that job was done, it took more than two hours to calm her down."

"Gee," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette and ignoring the disapproving glances coming from her father.

"And to top it all off, it took us all morning to convince…" she cringed, "to convince dad to let me help you out for the rest of your stay."

Sanji's eyes lit up before wiggling in his place. "It'd be a massive pleasure to have your company, my dearest, dearest-"

Ivy gave him a sharp stare before turning her head towards her father, who had been forcing himself to stay quiet.

"So…once you get ready, I'll be walking you around. Kay?" she offered, giving her dad pleading looks. Sanji guessed that they had already decided on the matter, but had a feeling her father was going to change his mind.

"Be back by four," he finally said.

"Daaad!" Ivy whined. "That's way too early…four thirty, tops."

"That's all you get, young lady," he affirmed. With a contented shrug, Ivy handed Sanji a bag that held an obviously used-suit, yet neat and clean. "You can borrow this."

"Haai! Very much appreciated," he bubbled, closing the door after them. The suit turned out to be a tad bit big on him, but he was polite enough to keep it on. He couldn't for the life of him find a comb in the bathroom, and ended up giving his hair a quick wash to calm it down, making sure he didn't forget the hat or his money.

Putting his room-key into the pocket of his pants, he made his way out the front door. Ivy's mood was greatly improved than the day before, which gave Sanji a good feeling. He skipped down the stairs, only to be surprised by not spotting Ivy's father hovering over her protectively.

Sanji tilted his head.

"Mom has strange ways of convincing my dad," Ivy laughed, waving a device in her hand. As if suddenly realizing it, she gave herself a hard slap on the forehead. "Right…you don't know what this is."

She made her way beside Sanji and showed him what was in her hand. "This is a phone. You contact people with it, and even connect to the internet. Aaand the internet is what lets you look up recipes, and other things. It also has a camera. You…do know what a camera is, at least, right?"

"Yes, no worries!" Sanji confirmed, looking at the phone from different angles. "Where I'm from, they use things called den-den mushies for that sort of thing, minus the internet. They're snails."

"No way?!" Ivy cried, squinting in surprise. "How totally cool…"

Sanji let out a giggle that Ivy, who normally didn't hear guys giggle, found very creepy. She looked over at him suspiciously.

"You're so adorable when you're excited!" he twinkled happily. Ivy knew she was bound to get used to his strange quirks, so she simply smiled. As they walked, she gave him many explanations. Such as how he couldn't go swooning over whoever he pleased, since not only was it impolite; he could also get in deep trouble for it.

They eventually reached a small restaurant which Sanji immediately knew he'd like. The aroma of freshly made bread filled the street they'd been walking on, and he could tell by the joyful smiles on the customers faces that indeed, the food was very satisfying.

"Care for a bite before we begin our journey?" Ivy smiled.

"Of course, on condition that you let it be my treat."


	4. Chapter -4-

They entered the restaurant and, unfortunately, were greeted with numerous stares. After all, Sanji _had _ridiculously blonde hair and, not to mention, was wearing a baggy suit and a hat, which sadly weren't matching at all. A waitress was quick to lead them to a table.

"Your hair, miss, is like a ray of sunshine embracing-"

Ivy smacked Sanji on his head before giving the waitress a smile, requesting two menus in order to hurry her away. As they settled, she unconsciously rolled her eyes. Sanji put out his cigarette, as there was a rather clear sign saying **No Smoking**. Though, he didn't fail to notice the irritation Ivy was showing. He adjusted his hat and sat back, fighting the urge to scan the restaurant for pretty ladies. Unable to handle the tension that had built up, Ivy heaved an exaggerated sigh.

"I can't tell whether you're a player, Sanji," she said, her voice barely heard, "or if you're a gentleman."

Despite how noisy the place was and how low her voice had been when she said it, the cook still heard it, and it sparked a countless number of questions in his mind. The waitress returned, handing two menus over to them. They silently went through the different catalogues and, for a while, the amazing dishes and drinks took Sanji's mind off Ivy's comment.

"Don't overdo it," Ivy ordered, her mood slightly better, "we've got plenty of other places to try, too."

"Haai," Sanji replied, continuing to flip through the menu excitedly. The waitress came back plenty of times, since the cook was unable to make up his mind. Ivy found it very amusing, and laughed each time she spotted the waitress walking towards them.

"Hurry up already!" she chuckled, hitting Sanji's menu playfully. As he finally settled on some type of egg roll garnished with sauces he'd never heard of before, they called over the exhausted waitress to give their orders. Ivy thanked her and apologized, for she was definitely getting tired of seeing Sanji and Ivy's faces.

"Do you always take that long?" Ivy asked. Sanji was reaching for his cigarettes when his eyes caught the sign again.

"Not usually, Ivy-chan," he explained, retrieving his hand, "The restaurants I normally go to don't have a fifteen page menu, you see."

On top of the ridiculously long menu –or, it was long to the cook at least-, the food was served in less than twenty minutes. They dug in, and Sanji had to admit that he was quite pleased with the dish, despite the fact that he would have preferred it to be saltier. As they finished up, they sat back, contented with the food in their stomachs.

"That wasn't half as good as your soup," Ivy pointed out, causing a broad grin to appear on Sanji's face. Once he paid, they walked out the door of the restaurant, which Sanji noticed needed a few wipes to get it perfectly clean.

"There's this _incredibly_ awesome amusement park just a few blocks away," Ivy bubbled, her eyes sparkling in eagerness. "Mom insisted we pay for your ticket, so no objections."

"But-" the cook began.

Ivy clucked her tongue. "No buts, sir."

She quickened her pace, but noticed Sanji still slightly hesitant to follow her. Guessing he was never a man to accept a lady to pay for anything, she let out a huff and grabbed his wrist, which completely took him by surprise. Despite that, he didn't object. She was quick to turn her head away from him after noticing the slight hint of a blush that appeared on his cheeks. Ivy was expecting some sort of perverted comment from the cook, but it never came. Perhaps what she said back at the restaurant got to him…

"Ivy-chan!" Sanji yelled, making her stop in her tracks, only to realize that she was one step towards death. AKA: An incredibly busy street. She was so lost in thought that she hadn't paid close enough attention to where she was going. She quickly let go of Sanji's wrist, a guilty expression crawling onto her features.

"I'm sorry!" she burst out. "I was about to pull you with me, too!"

Sanji shook his head in frustration. "Ivy-chan, you were the one about to get hit by a bus, not me; you should be worried about yourself!"

Unluckily, the two had made quite a scene. People were maneuvering around them, either staring weirdly, or smiling in a way that said _"awwwh two sweethearts arguing!"_

With irritated glances, the two made their away from the scene. It was very quiet the rest of the way. That was, until they finally caught a glance of the entrance to the amusement park. Even Sanji felt a twinge of excitement to ride the roller coaster that seemed to reach the summit. With an unintentional squeal, Ivy ran towards the entrance, followed by the cook who was amused to see the adventurous side of his company. Hurriedly, Ivy took out the money and bought two tickets from the entrance window.

"Are you excited or _what_?!" she exclaimed, scanning the park. When she didn't hear an immediate answer from the cook, she looked at him worriedly.

"I'm…sorry. Do you like this kinda thing?" she asked.

"I do think it's fun, Ivy-chan," he said as he put away his lighter. With a grin, it was his turn to lead her into the place, since she seemed hesitant. They made their way to the first ride, which happened to be the ferries wheel. To Sanji's disappointment, the seats were too small for two to share one. Despite that, Ivy's excitement didn't seem to subside at all.

"Make it fast, sir!" she told the operator. Sanji secured himself onto the seat and waited for it to begin. Ivy sat in the seat that followed his. Or…bounced. He found it surprising how much her mood had changed since that morning. When the ferries wheel finally began to move, it was very slow. Too slow for the cook's liking, but soon it increased its speed. A lot. Sanji found himself kneeling at the side of the seat, fighting the nauseated sensation in his stomach.

_Those damn eggrolls better stay in their place…_he thought bitterly, unable to enjoy the ride as much as Ivy, whose laugh, he had no doubt, spread across the entire amusement park. Once it finally stopped, the cook quickly jumped off the seat and headed towards a wastebasket.

"Shit!" Ivy cried, running towards Sanji whose head was hovering over the wastebasket, waiting anxiously for something to make its way out of his stomach.

"Do you need me to get some water?" she asked, lightly patting his back. After a few deep breathes, the cook raised his head with a smile.

"Nah, I'm fine," he reassured, taking out yet another cigarette, causing Ivy to cock an eyebrow.

"Seriously? You were just feeling sick and you're gonna smoke?" she asked, a hint of disbelief shown in her voice. Sanji laughed.

"Hard to believe, huh? Now, shall we continue our journey?"

With a reluctant shrug, Ivy led the cook towards the rollercoaster, since she hadn't failed to notice the face he'd made when he first laid eyes on it. The line was incredibly long, but Ivy was determined for her and Sanji to ride on the very first cart. She _did_ feel the need to make it up to the cook since he exited the first ride with a mushed stomach. When they finally got to the beginning of the line, Sanji noticed two guys cutting the line until they got to them.

"Move over, blondie," one of them said, but was quickly blocked by the cook's leg.

"Eh…Sanji, listen, it's not worth it, we can wait," Ivy eased, trying not to make trouble in her favorite place. Sanji, on the other hand, didn't want to wait.

"Ivy-chan, get in the cart," Sanji ordered gently. The two guys gave mocking laughs before kneeing Sanji in his leg. They were, however, surprised to see that he didn't budge at all. Ivy was just as surprised. She got in the cart as Sanji had said, and was followed by him quickly after.

Once everyone was in their carts and buckled up tightly, Sanji gave the infuriated guys a swift wave. The ride began, giving the two guys no chance to say a word.

"You sure have a tough leg, Sanji," Ivy pointed out, impressed. Sanji shrugged, taking a drag off his cigarette.

"I _have_ been training since my childhood, so it'd be pretty bad if I hadn't been able to tolerate a weak hit such as that."

"Weak, huh?" Ivy whispered. They were nearing the top.

"By the way, when we start going down, you know it gets really fast. But here, they actually take pictures of our reactions, so better make it a good one!" she explained with a little laugh. Sanji was completely and utterly sure he would make the perfect face for Ivy's sake.

How wrong he was.

As soon as the cart flung down the tracks, his cigarette flew out of his mouth and, he was quite sure he heard screaming from behind him. Not only that, but his hat had fallen off as well, and his damp hair was flying all over the place. Most of it was in his eyes, and it blocked the view of everything. Though, again, he could hear the excited yells of Ivy coming from beside him.

The cook concluded that he definitely didn't know how to have a good time in amusement parks_. Fun, he said…_


	5. Chapter -5-

**tsuiruga: Thank you for the cheering-on 8D! I'm not planning on ditching this story, so yush, don't worry 8D!**

**And thank you dearest readers c:! May this chapter LIFT YOUR SPIRIT ;D!**

…**.**

"I screamed so hard I teared up! How is that even logical?" Ivy laughed, wiping the corners of her eyes. Turning her head, she noticed the hysterical sight of the cook, whose hair had (was it possible?) gotten wildly curly. Ivy suppressed her laugh with all her might. Soon, however, they were hurried out of their carts and welcomed by the two, quite angry guys that they'd dealt with earlier. One of them cracked his knuckles while the other gave his hair an unnecessary flick.

"Good to see you again, curly-cutie," they said. For the first time ever, the comment wasn't directed at his eyebrow. Sanji gave his hair a few pats to calm it down before slowly putting his hands in his pockets. Ivy was relieved that he'd made up his mind not to fight them.

He gave his neck a couple of cracks. "Ready for me to bust your asses?"

Ivy's pupils grew so large they almost hid her brown-colored irises. "Dammit, you are _not_ getting in a fight!"

She mustered up the courage to grab Sanji by his wrist and run.

"Oi, Ivy-chan, I could've taken care of them real qui-"

"NO! NOW, BE QUIET AND RUN."

The cook was rather confused. He didn't find it a very big deal, after all, but clearly Ivy had a problem with it. Once they'd lost track of the duo, they stopped and caught their breath. Ivy took a little longer to gather her bearings.

"S-Seriously!" she snapped, heaving in and out. "We're in a friendly environment and you decide to pick a fight?!"

"I'm not so sure we can call it _friendly_, Ivy-chan," Sanji mumbled quietly before taking out another cigarette.

"Sanji, you're practically murdering your lungs," she accused. Not very often did people comment on his smoking. Definitely not his nakama; they minded their own business.

"It's un unbreakable habit," he replied softly.

"Have you ever considered, I don't know…trying to _quit_?"

"Frankly, it's at the bottom of my worries."

"And if it bothers the people around you?"

"Never bothered my nakama, and those are the people that are usually around."

"It could kill you."

"I'm alright, Ivy-chan."

"And for God's sake, why is your skin so _perfect_?" she blurted out. Well that was certainly a first for the cook.

"Eh?" he questioned quietly. Ivy's ears turned a light pink. An old lady that sat near them giggled to herself, making them whirl around to face her.

"What an interesting way to compliment your sweetheart," she laughed weakly. The question here is why was a fragile old lady doing in a wild place such as an amusement park?

"For some reason, she doesn't look like she's from around here," Ivy whispered to the cook, ignoring the comment the woman had made.

"You see, I'm only here for my grandson," the woman explained, answering their silent wonders. Her eyes twinkled softly as she stared at Ivy. "You would make an excellent bride for him."

Ivy slapped her forehead.

"Excuse you, ma'am, but I'll have you know that my Ivy-chan will NOT-" Sanji began, but as always, was interrupted by Ivy pulling him away once again.

"Thank you for the compliment, ma'am, but I'm not interested!" Ivy called back before she and the cook disappeared into a gift shop: The only place Ivy noticed was a good getaway. As they entered, her eyes caught little figurines. She spotted a few that she recognized such as Mickey mouse and a few other Disney characters.

"Oh geez," she whispered as she caught sight of a figurine of the cook who was now peacefully smoking his cigarette and observing painted coasters. Quickly and a bit harshly, Ivy grabbed the hat which he'd stuffed in his blazer's pocket and shoved it onto his head.

"What the-" he sputtered as the fabric covered his eyes and almost made him drop his precious cigarette. He lifted it far enough for him to be able to see.

"What's wrong, Ivy-chan?" he asked, adjusting the hat. Gently, she led him towards the figurine. The cook burst out laughing as he grabbed the one of Zoro, ignoring the one that looked like him.

"Would'ya look at that?! His face looks warped! BAHAHAHA!" he cried out, slapping the shelves madly. Ivy shushed him as she noticed the offended look on the shopkeeper's face.

"Awh man, I'm so buying this," he said between chuckles. There were a few other ones but, luckily to the impatient Ivy, they were in the back, hidden. Once he'd bought the figurine, they walked out the door. Ivy let out a tired sigh.

"It's almost two thirty," she said in a disappointed tone. "One last ride before lunch?"

"Haaai!" Sanji replied, giving her a wink. Surprisingly, it made her laugh. She pointed towards a small lake covered with boats. They walked there and, fortunately, didn't have to wait long in line. They settled in one of the boats: Ivy sat in front while Sanji rested behind her. There was a long waterway that went down.

"Alrighty, here'goes!" the operator yelled. The boats, one after the other, slowly headed towards the water way. As soon as their boat reached it, it slid down so suddenly they both had to clutch the sides of the boats with all their might in order to stay on. Water sprinkled onto their faces but before they had the time to enjoy it, they were already at the bottom. Their boat hit the water hard. The impact was so powerful that Sanji's head got pushed forward, hitting Ivy right in the back of her own head.

"SHIT! YOU ALRIGHT?" he yelled. Ivy, however, was too busy shivering from all the water that had soaked her.

"Y-yeah, I'm just g-grand, Sanji," she replied sarcastically, struggling to get off the boat without getting any more water on herself. Sanji gave the operator a quick glare.

"You call that _fun_?!" he snapped. Ivy gave the operator an apologetic look, not bothering to stop Sanji.

"The sun'll eventually dry us," she said, sniffing. "Are you fond of Chinese food?"

"Never tried it," he shrugged. A broad smile stretched across Ivy's face.

"You'll love it!"

Ivy was the one to choose for Sanji, in order to save time. Once their orders were ready, they settled on a bench not far from the restaurant and dug in.

"Mmmm," Sanji muttered, savoring the taste of the noodles. "This is great!"

"Pffft, you've got sauce all over your face," Ivy laughed, throwing a napkin at him. Gracefully wiping it off, a memory of Chopper getting juice all over his fur came over him.

Speaking of that, what has been happening with the straw hats?

….. In a Parallel universe …..

"DAMMIT, ERO-COOK, WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?!" Zoro raged, following his crewmates deeper into the town.

"I hope he hasn't been eaten by ferocious wild beasts," Robin stated.

"Robiiin, it's no time for your negativity!" Usopp wailed. Chopper clung to Zoro's leg, quiet sobs escaping his throat.

"Maybe he's buying us more meat!" Luffy said, obvious drool running down his chin. Nami gave him a gentle slap on his head, for she was too worried to go all out on him.

"Why don't we split up? This freakin island's too big. It's already been more than a day since we last saw him, so for the rest of the day, we're gonna search in groups," Nami ordered. "Thank God the island needs more than two weeks to set the log pose…"

….. Back to Ero-cook …...

The two walked out of the amusement park, content with their lunch, but still quite damp from their last ride. The walk back to the hotel was quiet, but not uncomfortable. They reached the hotel and Sanji, who guessed it was time she headed home, turned around and smiled.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Ivy-chan!" he bubbled. Ivy laughed nervously.

"Yeaah, not much of a trip, huh?" she mumbled.

"Tch, what are you talking about? I got my hair done for no cash," he tried cheering her up.

"Sure, if having your hair blow dried by a ride on the rollercoaster is considered getting your hair done," she replied with a genuine grin. "Well, seeya! Even if it's a little early, dad might still be a bit impatient, soo, gotta run."

"Hai! Have a safe-trip home!" he sent her off.

… Now we shall follow Ivy home ….

"Heyya, dad!" Ivy greeted, giving her father a double gun-pose. Her father looked at his wristwatch and nodded.

"Welcome home," he simply said before disappearing into his office. Ivy was used to it and took no offence, so she ran up the stairs and opened her laptop.

It was time.

She looked Sanji up, planning to watch a few videos of him. That was fine, right? It's not like she was a stalker or anything. She was curious, is all.

Perhaps staying up until after midnight on her laptop watching One Piece _was_ slightly extreme. After all, Sanji wasn't in the series from the beginning, so she had to do that to actually get to him. Though, she had to admit, it was quite fun getting to know his crewmates.

When she finally got the episode where Sanji appears, she could barely contain her excitement. Her mom walked into her room at one a.m. wondering what her daughter was doing up so late.

"Uh…research?" Ivy tried. Her mom raised an eyebrow before walking towards her daughter. Ivy held her breath.

"I suspected so," her mom finally said with a smile. "Are you crushing on him, dear?"

Ivy stiffened, not sure what to respond to her mom.

"Having a crush is so _immature_, mom," she finally said. "But, y'know, you said you had watched it before and I mean, I DID meet one of the characters so, it's only natural…right?"

Ivy's mom gave her daughter a soft pat on her shoulder. "Of course. Natural."

With that, her mom left the room. "Don't stay up too late."

"Okay," Ivy whispered, embarrassment overwhelming her.

However, that didn't stop her from watching one more episode.


	6. Chapter -6-

**Hey 8D! I'm very appreciative to everyone who's been reading and doing all the good stuff to support me. This is sort of a random idea for a chapter, BUUT NONETHELESS, I do hope you'll find it fun to read!**

**THANK YOU C:!**

**Lesssgooooooooooo!**

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><p>"Ivy?!" a voice snapped.<p>

Ivy shot up, hitting her head on the wall. Rubbing it a few times, she tried to gather her bearings. Her left cheek hurt and when she ran her fingers over it, she could feel strange ups and downs going on.

"Ohhhhhh…crap," she whispered once she understood what had happened. She hadn't gone to bed early and instead, had fallen asleep on her laptop's keyboards. That explained the strange patterns that had formed on her cheek. With trouble, she faced her mom.

"I'm sorry, mom," she apologized. In panic, she pushed her laptop away and jumped off her bed, tripping in her blanket and falling face-first.

"Ivy, you have-"

"I'm late! I should be at the hotel by now," she explained hurriedly, grabbing whatever she set her eyes on from her closet and disappearing into the bathroom.

_I should probably plan something on the way there…I've got absolutely no idea where I'm gonna take him today…zoo? Nah…maybe he's into sushi…WAIT! I FORGOT, I'VE GOT AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DENTIST TODAY!_

"MOM! APPOINTMENT! CANCEL IT!" Ivy yelled, barging out the bathroom door and down the stairs.

"Ivy, you've been stalling with this appointment for more than two weeks, we are _not_ canceling this one."

Ivy stopped in her tracks. "But, Sanji…"

"Then take him with you to the dentist's office. All I'm concerned about is getting those teeth of yours checked, ever since you took off your braces, we haven't been to the doctor once."

Ivy sighed. "But…it's embarrassing, mom…"

"Well then, it's time to get over your _uncomfort _towards dentists," her mom said, a sly smile on her face. "Have fun!"

She led Ivy out the door, giving her extra money for the trip to the doctor. With a sigh, Ivy dragged herself away from her home and into a Taxi. She used a comb to brush her hair as fast as she could before the car stopped in front of the hotel. Walking into the hotel, she thought as hard she could of how she could explain the situation to him. In no time, she'd gotten to his door. The excitement she'd felt for meeting him again had turned into dread.

Just as she knocked on the door, she had this sudden thought.

Why was she taking him with her…? Wouldn't he rather rest at the hotel than tag along with her on an errand to the doctor's office?

Well, too late to back out. The door opened and a cheerful Sanji greeted her.

"Good morning, Ivy-chan!" he greeted, opening the door wider for her to come in. With an uncertain laugh, she took a few steps in the room. She stared at the mess before her, and pointed at the broken bed.

"Care to explain what happened?" she asked with a smile. Sanji cleared his throat and cocked his head.

"Let's see. I made the mistake of overestimating its quality."

"Aaand the T.V.?" she said, nodding her head towards the mysterious screen.

"So that's what it's called, huh? Well…it wouldn't turn off. I had to do something about it, so I broke it."

"You're gonna have to pay for it, though," she pointed out.

"Not if I run away first," he said with a wink. Ivy gave him an unnecessary slap on the shoulder, as she was indeed trying to talk about anything _but_ her invitation. Her ridiculous, dumb, boring…invitation…

His winks weren't making things any easier.

"So, what shall we do today, Ivy-chan?" he asked, taking out the suit she'd given him and doing his best to straighten out any wrinkles.

"Uh…well, you see, I was thinking…" she began, scratching the tip of her nose."Wouldn't it be totally cool to visit a dentist's office?"

Sanji paused and let out a chuckle. "You find that fun?"

It hit Ivy like a bomb.

"PSH, NO… " she waved it off after a moment of silence.

"Or is it that you _need_ to go to the dentist's office?" he questioned, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"Maybe," she whispered. Sanji shook his head.

"Maybe?"

"Yes! I need to get my teeth checked. Would you like to come with me?" she finally said. Sanji's expression changed from curiosity to surprise.

"It would be my utter _pleasure_ to accompany you to your doctor's appointment!" he replied happily.

It would've been nice to say that Ivy felt more at ease after he accepted her invitation, but on the contrary, she was two times more uncomfortable. It was, as her mother had hinted, true that she was terrified of dentists. It took all the convincing and rewards from her parents to make her get braces.

Sanji was particularly fond of the dentist's equipment, saying he'd never seen anything similar to it before and mentioning how fond Chopper would've been if he'd gotten the chance to see them. The nurse had asked Ivy to get "comfortable" on the patients' seat while they waited for the dentist.

Ivy quickly got off the chair once the nurse was out of sight. Sanji noticed how fidgety she was, but decided not to mention anything.

"Oh, hello Ivy, good to see you again," the doctor greeted as he entered the room. He gave Sanji a curious look.

"He's a friend," Ivy said before the tension increased. The doctor motioned for Ivy to take a seat. She decided to stall.

"I'm here for a checkup, doctor," she said, pretending to be distracted by a clicky-pen she'd grabbed from his desk. "Not for…_anything_ _else_."

_Anything else_ meant digging holes in her teeth or stabbing needles in her gums. It was bad enough for her to stay still on that dreaded chair.

"Aha, I'm aware of that," her doctor said, now pointing at the chair to make it clear. "Please sit down."

And so she did. Hesitantly, she opened her mouth wide to allow the doctor to do the check up. She was fighting the urge to give Sanji a pleading look that meant: _Get me the hell out of here!_

"Ahh, Ivy, you've got a little cavity we need to work one," the doctor informed her, taking out a strange tool with a sharp, twisting end. Once Ivy laid her eyes on that, she could feel a lump form in her throat. She grabbed onto the sides of the seats.

"Oi, what's that for?" Sanji asked, taking a step closer to the doctor. The fear Ivy was showing was starting to make him feel uneasy.

"This is needed to get rid of any unwanted _intruders_ in her back tooth," he replied, confused as to why Sanji looked so defensive. After numbing her mouth, he got to work. Not very far into the job, a nurse came in with a phone.

"This is an urgent phone call, doctor," she said, handing it over to him. He stopped drilling Ivy's tooth and took the call. At first, it really did sound urgent, but by the end of it, it sounded like he was choosing what he wanted for dinner. Ivy's eyes were slowly beginning to water, and she did looked extremely nervous as bright light pierced through her eyes, with cotton stuffed in her mouth, and a chattering doctor hovering over her.

"Listen, _doc_," Sanji snapped, causing the doctor to face him. "You have a patient. Ordering food can wait. And she and I don't want to spend the whole day here, so we'd be very much _obliged _if you could finish up your job."

The doctor, as if slightly nervous to lose a patient or even get a bad reputation, quickly hung up on whoever it was he was talking to and, with success, finished re-filling Ivy's tooth. As soon as she paid what she owed, they were out the door.

"Feeling okay?" Sanji inquired.

"Am fie," she replied. Sanji couldn't help but clamp his mouth shut in attempt to suppress a laugh. _[I'm fine]_

"You're what?" he said.

"I aid am fie," she repeated. Looking over at him, she finally understood he was teasing her. _[I said I'm fine]_

"Nah mah ful the doctur kept the frekin co'on in my mouth fo too long!" she snapped irritably, realizing he probably didn't understand what she was saying. _[Not my fault the doctor kept the freakin' cotton in my mouth for too long!]_

"Indeed, it's not your fault, Ivy-chan," Sanji laughed.

"Ayway, there'not much to do in thi pat of town. Wanna-" she was interrupted by a ring of her phone. With dread, she took it out of her pocket and answered. _[Anyway, there's not much to do in this part of town…]_

"Hewwo?" she said."Ye, am fie. Aha…I'm sor- what? Dad wants to _what_…?" _[Hello? Yeah, I'm fine...]_

With a harsh swallow, she gave Sanji a quick glance. "Okay …I'll tell him."

"Um…" she began, clearing her throat, "My dad wants to have dinne wiyou, Sanji."

Sanji raised his eyebrows, not so sure anymore he understood what she was saying.

She gave her mouth a few stretches before repeating what she'd said.

"My dad wants to have dinner with you."

Ivy avoided eye contact with the cook.

"Alone."


	7. Chapter -7-

**Helllloooooooooo 8D!**

**So, this is where things take a slightly different turn. However I do hope you enjoy it C:!**

_**(AnimeGirl4891: **_**Aaaand here's another chapter! Thank you for taking the time to express that ;;!)**

**And, one more sidenote, I just wanna thank **_**Yours Truly – Pride**_** (a great author) for taking me by surprise by mentioning Ivy in one of his One Shots! You should check him out, he's been writing One Piece stories recently and they're simply awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!**

**OKK, ONTO THE STORY. THANK YOU EVERYONE ;D!**

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><p>Sanji stepped into his room, completely confused as to why he was invited by a man that very clearly didn't approve of him. Not like he cared in the least what that man thought of him, yet he still found it strange. That aside, it was his last day to stay in the hotel. Next morning he'd either have to pay for one more day or get kicked out. The second option was more likely since he barely had any money on hand.<p>

The cook didn't want to admit that he in fact was slightly concerned about the dinner. He certainly didn't want to cause any trouble for Ivy. A sudden knock on the door interrupted his line of thoughts. With a sigh, he opened it and was mildly surprised to see an employee with a funny looking hat standing in the hallway.

"Good evening, sir," he greeted. "I'm just here to remind you that by noon tomorrow, this room will no longer be yours. It has already been reserved by another visitor."

Sanji, as if suddenly realizing that he was better off trying to hide the ruined furniture, sneakily closed the door behind him.

"Alright, I'll be out by tomorrow morning," he replied.

"Oh and, one other thing. We haven't changed your sheets yet, since you always have the _Do not Disturb_ sign hung on your doorknob. But it's about time we did that, so if you'll excuse me..."

The employee twisted the doorknob, opened the door, and went silent. With a clear of his throat, he backed away from the room and gave Sanji an offended glance.

"Sir, you will have to pay for both the bed and the television," he said, his tone not so welcoming anymore.

The cook shrugged. "I have no money on me for that kind of thing."

And that, my dear readers, was how Sanji was kicked out of the hotel a day early. At least he got to snatch the hotel's shampoos and body washes. He had to stay _some_where…

Sadly, he ended up falling asleep on a restaurant's outside table. Though with luck, he woke up right before the manager arrived and was able to use the restroom of the restaurant. He jammed the door of the washroom shut and made sure no one was able to get in. After all, he was going to give his hair a major wash. He'd taken a pair of clean socks and underclothes from the hotel, and was quite happy to _finally_ get his hands on a comb.

He stepped out of the bathroom, adjusting his tie and enjoying the aroma of food that drifted through the restaurant.

"Sure took you long, sir," the manager said, wrapping an apron around his waist. "What were you doing in there, getting ready for your wedding?"

He was laughing, until he caught a glance of Sanji.

"My God, you've turned from a terrifying hobo into-"

"Don't overdo it, _sir_," Sanji snapped, knowing very well he looked more presentable than before. "Thanks for letting me use your restroom. I'll be going now."

By the time he got back to the hotel, it was around noon. He was expecting Ivy to show up, so he waited patiently.

A thought kept nagging at him in his mind, and he knew he was bound to deal with it. He knew he should eventually open the subject with her, yet he feared what her response would be. In fact, that took him to an even more serious subject…

"Whoaa, you look great!" Ivy's voice rang out, making him perk up and smile.

"Good morning, Ivy-chan!" he cried.

"You never wait for me outside," she stated, raising an eyebrow. "What got you to do that?"

The cook gritted his teeth. "Ehh…does there have to be a reason?"

Ivy shrugged. "I suppose not."

A feeling of longing swept over the cook. Without over thinking it, he gently offered his hand to Ivy. She looked at it, confused.

"O-Oh…" she choked. With an incomprehensible noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a fake cough, she placed her hand in his.

"OH MY GOD, HE'S GONNA PROPOSE!" a woman wailed a few feet away, running towards the two with a handkerchief in hand.

"Get out your camera, dad!" a girl begged, shaking her father.

"Eww, gross," a boy mumbled from afar.

"Crap," Sanji and Ivy cursed. With a swift move, they managed to escape the scene. They could hear disappointed calls coming from the few watchers that had crowded in front of the hotel.

"Gee, do people do that all the time around here?" Sanji asked once their laughing fit subsided. Ivy shook her head.

"Nah, we were just unlucky," she explained. With one of his hand occupied, it was tricky for Sanji to light a cigarette. But he managed to do it. After all, not many things can easily deprive him of his morning smoking session.

Ivy's breathing seemed a little too imbalanced to Sanji.

"Hey, Sanji," Ivy began as they walked. "This might seem unnecessary of me but uh…I just want you to know that, I don't want you to act any differently to please my dad or anything. I _really _don't."

The cook smiled, as he now knew how worried she actually was about it. "Trust me, I won't be doing that."

"So, do you know where we're heading? Because I don't," Sanji said, placing his cigarette into between his teeth.

"Well, I'm actually heading to my house," she mumbled. "I was thinking it might be fun to show you a few episodes of One Piece. How would you like that?"

Sanji couldn't help but laugh. "Aside from that, Ivy-chan…Have _you _been watching it?"

Ivy realized her mistake. She mentally slapped herself.

"_Gee_, how is it that you have such a big ability to frustrate me?! And yes, I have been…" Ivy blurted out.

Sanji had mixed feelings about her accidental confession. He felt happy that she now knew a lot about his crew, yet he still felt a bit uneasy that she saw what everyone's been through. Though once he let everything sink in, he gave her a warm smile.

"I'd be interested to see a couple," he finally said.

They wiped their shoes on the door mat that said _Welcome_ and entered Ivy's house. Sanji was happy to know that her dad was at work. Until his return, he'd occupy himself with anything _but_ the thought of dinner.

"Hello, Sanji," her mom greeted from the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, ma'am!"

"You're quite early."

"Oh, well, we have nothing to do in town, so I thought I'd bring him over…" Ivy explained, leading the cook up the stairs quickly, in fear that her mom was planning to drop any hints of her…feelings. For some reason, the aura was much more awkward this time than it was last time Sanji had been in her room. So much, actually, to the point that they ended up sitting against the wall on the floor instead of sitting on the edge of the bed.

Ivy placed the laptop between their laps.

"Shall we start from the first episode?" she asked. Sanji nodded, resisting the urge to take another cigarette out. Puffing smoke in a girl's face, he decided, wasn't the best thing to do.

Sanji was barely keeping his bearings as he watched Luffy burst out of a barrel. It was the first time he knew how his captain and rival met Coby. He was also very interested in seeing Zoro's time at the marine base.

"Damn marines," he mumbled once he found out they weren't planning on setting his crewmate free.

In fact, he was _so_ interested in everything that they ended up watching more than ten episodes straight.

"Oh, oh, Sanji…" Ivy suddenly said as she looked at the time. They had even missed lunch.

"Dad's gonna be here any minute. Which means_ dinner_ is gonna be in any minute," she explained, shuffling off the floor.

"_The_ dinner," she muttered as she walked out her bedroom door. Sanji followed closely behind.

Everything was fine. Dinner was ready and waiting for them downstairs. However, only one thing wasn't right. Her father had already come back and was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, giving Sanji disapproving looks.

"Ohhh, Dad! Welcome home, how was your day?" Ivy said, obviously surprised to see him back, as she wasn't expecting him for another five to ten minutes.

"It was eventful, thank you," he said, quite bluntly. "I assume your friend is staying for dinner."

Ivy fiddled with her bangs. "Yeah, he is."

"And I _assume_ no one will be disturbing us while we have it," he added.

"Your assumption is correct, dad," Ivy replied. Sanji was starting to get a little uncomfortable with how stern that man seemed with Ivy. She was his daughter, for God's sake. Her father walked into the living room, not even bothering to change his clothes from work. The cook took it as a sign that he should go as well.

He gave Ivy a grin. "It'll be a blast, Ivy-chan. Now if you'll excuse me."

Walking down the stairs, he could feel how worried Ivy was from hearing her unnatural breathing. He walked into the living room and Ivy's mom was sure to close the door after them.

"Good evening," Sanji said as he took a seat at the table.

"Hello," her father replied, also taking a seat. They skipped any prep talk and dug in.

Not until eating most of their meals did Ivy's father speak up.

"Do you realize what you're doing?" he asked, his voice showing accusation. Sanji moved his eyes from his plate to the man's eyes.

"Do you realize you're bound to _go_?"

The cook felt a terrible turn in his stomach. He clenched his fists.

"I don't suppose you took a moment to think of the consequences. You were too busy enjoying the modern world and using my daughter as a guide," he continued, his voice rising the more he spoke.

Sanji tried his hardest to keep it together.

"You're bound to cause her pain! Are you not aware-"

"Dammit, I _KNOW_!" Sanji yelled, pushing himself off his chair. "It's been nagging me ever since I figured out what those damn feelings of mine meant!"

The father kept his ground. "Then why didn't you act like a grown man and leave?"

Sanji put a hand in his pocket. "Because, sir, I'm human. I can be greedy."

A look of rejection was etched on the father's face. "Greedy for _what_?"

"Her mere presence," Sanji replied.

"You don't need her," the father finally said, taking another bite of his food as if nothing had happened. "And she most certainly doesn't need _you_."

The cook took his hand out of his pocket and slammed it onto the dinner table, taking the father by shock.

"That's _bullshit_," he said. "The both of us are going to feel pain. But I assure you, sir, neither of us regrets the time we spent together, _or_ the time left in which we will."

Sanji put the last bite into his mouth and excused himself. After all, he still had morals he stuck to, and finishing all the food on his plate was one of them. He walked out the living room.

"Ma'am, thank you very much for your lovely food! It was simply wonderful," Sanji said to Ivy's mom, who was drying dishes in the kitchen. The look on her face showed that she had heard part of their loud "conversation".

"I'm happy you enjoyed it," she replied, a small smile on her face. With what seemed like a tired sigh, she put down the washcloth she was using and took a step towards Sanji.

"Her father is extremely overprotective, for his own reasons that concern his past and beliefs," she explained, her voice low. The cook nodded understandingly. "So, I do apologize if he hit any sensitive spots. Though, I believe you and Ivy have things to talk about and straighten out."

Sanji took a deep breath and released it. He tiled his head and looked at the ceiling.

"Yeah, we do."


	8. Chapter -8-

**HIIII 8D!**

**BAHFDAJKA. School started again this week, and I'm already sick of it C8...ha ha ha. OH WELLLL!**

**I hope you've all been well, and I'd like to tell you how much I deeply _deeply_ appreciate everyone's support! It genuinely makes me happy from the**

**VERRRRRRRRY**

**BOTTTOM OF MY HEART!**

**Such cliche. Yet it's true.**

**(Animegirl4891: -Coughs- Aha...well...um 8D...let's hope so...? Thank youuu for the review :3!)**

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><p>"You're not looking too good," the manager stated. Sanji had gone back to the restaurant, as he had nowhere else to go to. It was late and there was no one in the restaurant but him and a few students who were on their way out.<p>

"I'm closing up in less than an hour," he continued, drying his damp hands with a towel. "And I have a feeling you've got no place to stay."

The manager assumed that the cook had taken residence on one of the tables, having hung his blazer on the chair and taken out a cigarette.

"Got that right. I'm practically broke," Sanji said, a funny grin on his face. He sat up in his chair. "Tell you what. If you let me stay here for a few days, which is all I need, I guarantee you that this restaurant will be two times more popular."

The manager bellowed in laughter. "Awh, man. Dumb youngster. Just go find yourself one of those temporary shelters. I'll give you a few bucks if you need 'em."

"I'm not asking for your pity," Sanji snapped, sitting back. "Bastard."

"Heeh, you've got nerve, boy," the manager said. The cook got up and walked towards the kitchen. All the employees had gone home, so he had the whole place to himself. He rolled up his sleeves and took out whatever he could find in the fridge.

"Most of these eggs are rotten," he told the manager, who was watching him by the door. "No wonder this place barely has any customers. And what is this stuff…what the- THESE ORANGES ARE MOLDED! GIVE ME A BREAK, HOW DID NO ONE NOTICE?"

Sanji ended up giving the whole place a full-clean up.

"Looks like you're not new to this," the manager pointed out, scanning the now shining kitchen.

"I'm a cook," Sanji explained, dicing onions ridiculously fast. "The best you could find."

He was able to make enough omelets to serve ten people, which immediately impressed the manager, who was now taking out a fork from the silverware drawer. Sanji leaned back on the counter and waited. He was glad that he got to cook, and was hoping the man would accept his offer. Cooking got his mind off things, and he definitely felt the need to rest his mind.

"Alright," the manager finally said after fifteen minutes of eating three full omelets. "I'll let you stay. You'd better be right, blondie."

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><p>They opened the restaurant next day at nine. As it was everyday, the manager said, the beginning of the day wasn't busy. But once it did fill up, Sanji was working his hardest. He mixed, fried, cut and served as fast as he could. And, much to the manager's happiness, the customers seemed very, very pleased with the food.<p>

"Cut the cucumbers diagonally, the food will look much more garnished," Sanji ordered his fellow cooks, who weren't very happy to have a new guy bossing them around. Despite that, they were able to see how skilled he was and went along anyway.

"There's a shell in that egg mix!" he said to one of them.

"You need to temper the eggs or else your pudding will have scrambled bits in it. We don't want that!"

"Make sure there aren't any seeds in the orange juice!"

"Shit," Sanji whispered once remembering he had to meet up with Ivy in front of the hotel again that day. It was nearing one in the afternoon. He served the last plate before throwing off his apron and fixing his tie.

"I'll be leaving for now. Gotta hurry. Make sure you season the fish with that oil mix I made. Don't drown it with only lemon, you morons," he said to the employees before storming out of the kitchen door.

"Where are you off to?" the manager demanded.

"Your men will handle it for a few hours. I have to meet up with someone," he explained briefly.

With that, he ran his fastest back to the hotel. His thoughts were running wild and he felt a knot in his stomach. He only had two more days. Two. That's all he had. He had to get a grip and settle this.

Once he reached the hotel he scanned the area, but failed to find a trace of Ivy. For a moment, he thought her father might've forbidden her from coming. Though not very long after, he saw her coming down the stairs from the hotel, looking baffled. A hint of fear also showed on her face.

"Ivy-chan!" he called out. As soon as she saw him, any sign of worry was melted off her face. She waved frantically, running down the stairs.

"Heey! They said you weren't welcomed there anymore. Please don't tell me you seriously didn't do anything about the furniture," she said, tilting her head.

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, my lovely," was all he said.

"But you didn't do anything," she pointed out. "It's what you _didn't_ do. You didn't pay back what you owed."

Deciding he was better off changing the subject, he clasped his hands together and wiggled. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it, Ivy-chan? It's no time to be sulking and thinking about the past! Shall we take a walk?"

Ivy didn't seem up to arguing with him, so she simply went along. However, she was determined to provide him a fun time. But she had absolutely nothing in mind. Nothing. The zoo was closed that day, and there was no special event happening. She guessed he wouldn't be interested in any library or book store, either.

"You wanna go…to the convenience store?" she finally asked.

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><p>As ridiculous as it may have sounded, Ivy enjoyed going to convenience stores more than she enjoyed strolling around aimlessly in malls. In fact, it was one of her favorite places to go. Why, you ask?<p>

_BECAUSE OF THE BASKETS! THEY WERE SO MUCH FUN._

They walked into the store and, grabbing a basket (the ones that have wheels, mind you), they peacefully walked through the aisles. Sanji scanned the area to his left, and Ivy the area to her right. They looked at each other and nodded.

Ivy easily jumped into the basket and embraced herself.

"Ready?" Sanji asked, a playful grin plastered on his previously worried face.

"Ready!" she laughed.

The cook gripped onto the baskets handle and pushed. They flew across the slippery floor, dodging a basket full of _Socks on sale_ and a shelf filled with milk cartons. They were inches away from crashing into a neatly piled stack of canned dog food. Sanji was quick to make a detour and go the other way, but was welcomed by an old lady picking out some yoghurt from the cooled shelves. The floor was unnaturally slippery on that aisle. He realized that there was water all over the floor, and that there was mop pale close by. He was wearing fancy suit-shoes, which didn't help at all. He had lots of trouble stopping or even maneuvering the cart.

Ivy said something that Sanji couldn't hear; due to the loud clanking of the wheels on the floor. Not to mention, his squeaky shoes. It was something incomprehensible that sounded something like "DOG FOOD IN THE POOR OLD LADY'S WRINKLED TROUSERS!"

"What?!" Sanji yelled, completely confused.

"The wheels caught one of the canned dog foods and it's rolling away towards the old lady! The poor thing might slip on it and fall!" Ivy repeated, frantically pointing at the lady who was only a few feet away.

Where he got _wrinkled_ and _trousers_ he, nor we, will ever know.

He could not for the life of him stop the damn thing.

"BAAAH! GET OUT OF OUR WAY, YOU OLD GEEZER!" he shrieked. She didn't budge, and instead, proceeded with checking each carton of yogurt to make sure it wasn't expired.

With all his might, Sanji grabbed onto one of the shelves and skidded to a stop. Ivy's grip on the sides of the cart was so tight; her knuckles had turned completely white.

"You shouldn't be pestering in the groceryshopasugldfiu-" the old woman began, but her false teeth had, God knows how, fallen out of her mouth, causing her to spout nonsense. Ivy jumped out of the cart and, reluctantly, taken out massive amounts of tissues and picking the old woman's teeth up for her.

"Uh…" she began, fighting the urge to gag as she handed over the tissues."Here you are. Your…teeth."

"I appueciate it," she said, having trouble speaking. Carefully, they turned the cart away from the old lady and the soapy floor. Ivy occasionally grabbed a snack that interested her and put it in the cart. Sanji had helped himself with a cigarette pack.

"Why's the place so empty?" Sanji questioned, scanning the aisles as they headed to the cash register.

"Well, normally, people would be at work now, and-" she stopped once noticing the television screen that hung over the front counter. She listened to it carefully.

_"No later than three in the afternoon, we will be having a strong thunderstorm. We've been predicting it for days, and it has finally come. Stay warm and make sure to snuggle with your partners, for it's going to be a cold night!"_

"Well, shoot," she whispered. It was already two thirty. They bought their "groceries" and hurriedly walked out the door. The wind was already started to blow wildly and the clouds that sailed across the sky were dark gray.

"Sanji," she said, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her long coat. "Where are you staying these days? I'm well aware it's not the hotel."

Sanji blinked a few times. "Ah. Well, I'm sort of working at a restaurant, and in exchange I get to stay there. It's temporary. You know, until I…have to go."

Ivy nodded. "Good..."

"I think I'll be taking the bus home. The streets are packed and it's getting too windy for me to search for a Taxi," she explained. She didn't want to part ways with him quite yet, since it was early. Though something other than the upcoming storm was dragging her away. Slowly, but gradually, her feelings had started making trouble for both him and herself. Besides, telling him how she felt would make no difference. He was leaving in a day. Really… _really_ leaving.

They ran through the light sprinkle of rain silently. Once they reached the bus-stop, which was only a few blocks away from the restaurant Sanji was staying in, they waited patiently for the bus to arrive. Ivy fiddled in the grocery bag and took out his pack of cigarettes. She also included a bag of hard candy.

"That candy's my favorite," she explained with a small smile, handing it over to him. "I want you to try it. Though they're addicting, so be sure not to gobble them all down. Maybe you can keep some for your nakama to try. Speaking of which…would you like to buy anything for them? We could go souvenir shopping for them tomorrow. Also, my mom wanted to send some of her famous apple pie bites back with-"

"Ivy-chan," Sanji interrupted as gently as he could. He gripped onto his lighter, which was snuggled warmly in the pocket of his blazer.

"Will you come back with me?"


	9. Chapter -9-

**GUESS WHO'S LATE POSTING THIS CHAPTERRRRRRRRRRR? 8'D...**

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><p>Ivy held her breath. The bus arrived, however she gave it no attention. All her attention was fixed on the sad yet hopeful look on Sanji's face. He was waiting patiently for her answer, trying his hardest not to show how anxious he was feeling.<p>

She found it hard to hold the gaze and instead she looked down, letting the air she'd been holding in escape. It came out as a pitiful whimper. The wind was blowing, causing her short hair to dance wildly. The rain was starting to come down harder. The tension grew. With a calm sigh, she reached towards the cook's hand and took in her own.

"Sanji," she began, once she wrapped both her hands around his own. The cook felt goosebumps cover his body. "I can't tell you how badly I wished for you to ask me to go back with you. I wished for it, yet I _knew_ the possibility of my coming would be extremely low."

The cook's shoulders slowly, but very clearly were starting to slump. His eyes betrayed the relaxed look on his face.

"Honestly, Sanji…" she whispered, unable to look into his eyes, "I _want_ to come with you. I would be overflowing with happiness if I were allowed to stay with you. If I could meet the nakama you speak so fondly of! I want to go on adventures with you, and meet Chef Zeff. I want to discover my strengths and powers which I'm unable to discover in the real world."

The more she spoke, the tighter her grip became on his hand.

"But I can't," she finally said. "My school. The few friends I have. My mom…My _dad_. My entire life. It's here."

"Maybe…" she continued weakly, feeling her eyes well up in tears, "Maybe…if you ever encounter another wacky old woman in a food festival, you can visit me again. Or better yet…maybe by that time, I can come instead. I've only got a year and a half left to go until I become legally an adult, right?!"

She said the last statement in a higher pitched voice, attempting to sound cheerful. However it sounded completely fake.

Who was she kidding?

She didn't want to stay. In fact, most of her life, she wanted to leave the city, go live in a freakin' farm if she had to. Anywhere _but_ that city. Her father already planned what she supposedly had to study in college. She was to become an architect, he said. And perhaps if that didn't work out, a lawyer. She didn't want to be any of those things. She didn't want to be a doctor or an office worker or a nursery teacher, she simply wanted to live her life figuring out what she had in her so she _could_ find her passion. Yet her fate seemed so locked up; she didn't even bother to try searching for her ambitions and what she loved to do in life.

But Sanji's world…him and his crew…they were so _free_. Free to do what they chose and what they were best at doing. Whether it was cookery or swordsmanship or archaeology, they all had a passion Ivy wished she could find in herself.

She felt tears running down her cheeks as she thought of how desperately she wanted to go with him. There was no soul on the sidewalks or streets. The storm was as crazy as her frustrations and feelings.

With his free hand, Sanji wrapped Ivy in a tight embrace. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried softly. Lightning flashed, shining over the entire city for less than a second before it turned dark again. The rain poured heavily.

…..

Ivy checked her phone, noticing more than 10 missed calls from each of her parents. The restaurant was closed, and there was no sign of anyone to let Sanji in, so he ended up going home with Ivy. Both of them were embracing themselves for a full-out burst from her father once they appeared at her house's doorstep.

As if luck was finally on their side, her mother was the one to answer the door. The look of relief on her face was so overwhelmingly genuine to the point where Sanji felt slightly guilty for wanting to take Ivy away. Her family cared for her deeply.

"You two look like you were dunked into a 20 foot tall bucket of water!" she exclaimed, hurrying them in. The house was so cozy; the cook started feeling drowsy. It took a lot of willpower not to plop right on the floor and take a two hour nap.

Even if he had done that, he knew very well his mind wouldn't have allowed him to sleep.

Ivy's face didn't show sadness at that point. It showed slight resentment and determination. She set down the bag of groceries and confidentially walked up the stairs. Ivy's mom sat next to Sanji on the living room couch and heaved a sigh of exhaustion.

"You know," her mom said, breaking the silence. "I used to have a strange crush on Franky back when I was watching One Piece."

Sanji raised his eyebrows in amusement. "You what?!"

Before he had a chance to laugh his ass off because of the simple imagination of Ivy's mom and Franky being together, she put her hands on her lap in a serious gesture.

"I have a feeling you popped the question," she whispered. "And I don't mean a _proposal_, if that crossed your mind."

Surprisingly, it didn't cross his mind, because his mind was already so full of problems and bullshit, he had no room for anything else _to_ cross his mind. Firstly, how was he going to live his life knowing more than a billion people watch him? And how was he going to live his life knowing he left someone precious behind? That he left someone he probably won't be seeing ever again. And he had no idea how his crew was doing. He was starting to feel pretty shitty.

"What do you think her answer was, ma'am?" he asked, a tad bit of unintended sarcasm in his tone. Before she had the chance to answer, a racket coming from upstairs was heard.

…

"Is he down there?!" her father yelled. Ivy gritted her teeth, trying to maintain her composure.

"Yes, dad," she said. "And I would like to ask your permission for something."

"You are not to go anywhere with him," he told her, proceeding with his paperwork.

"Will you please let me speak?" she asked, her patience starting to wear out.

"This is the end of the conversation. Please leave my office. It's getting late."

"Dad will you for once let me say what I have to say?!" she asked, her voice unintentionally rising too high. She caught herself.

"My work starts early tomorrow morning. We can talk after I get back from-"

"There's no _time_! He's going away tomorrow!" she cried, clenching both her fists. "For God's sake just give me ten minutes to speak, that's all I need!"

His face didn't show approval, or disapproval, which unnerved Ivy. He stayed silent. She gave herself a mental encouragement before looking straight into her father's eyes.

"I am deeply, _deeply_ fond of Sanji," she began, forcing herself not to look away from his face. Embarrassment overflowed in her. "He makes me happy, dad. I…I don't want to go to an expensive university and study architecture or any of the other things you suggested. I don't know what I want to do with my life, and I wish you'd accept that! I'm not asking for you to let me go right now. I know I have things to do in my life and I need a long time to figure myself out, and what I want. I'm completely aware of that."

She took a breath. "I won't lie. I would absolutely love to go with him. In fact, right now, it's my ultimate wish. But I don't want to regret anything. Even if he'd given me more time to think, I know it wouldn't have been enough time.

"And dad…you're a great father. You've looked out for me my entire life, and I appreciate that and love you with all my heart. But I'm sorry. I don't want to have a planned life and future. It has only made me depressed."

His stern expression was starting to soften.

"Dad. I just ask of you…one thing," she said pleadingly. Immediately his face hardened again. "If there happened to be a chance for me to see him again…please, let me take it."

The door of the office creaked open, and in came Ivy's mom. She closed it after her and simply leaned against the door. She gave Ivy's father a look that Ivy recognized as the _It's okay. Relax_ kind of look she very often gave him. He got up and grabbed his coat from behind the chair.

"Dear," her mom whispered, as gently as she could. Ivy's father turned his gaze at her. "Don't deprive your daughter of the freedom you weren't allowed to have in your past. You and I may not have had the best childhood in terms of how much flexibility we were given in choosing our path in life, but that doesn't mean we have to do the same to our child. You and I have had our shares of talks about this matter. I do hope they weren't in vain."

Her father gripped his jacket tightly, looking confused and irritated. Ivy could barely contain the anxiousness she was feeling.

"I give you my permission," he struggled to say, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting in silence.

Ivy thought she might've heard what he said wrong, due to the booming thunder outside. She blinked a few times before walking to him and giving him a tight hug, which he gingerly returned. He was quick to walk out of the office. The power Ivy's mom had in influencing her father amazed Ivy greatly. She sat on a chair and let out a long breath she didn't realize she'd been keeping in. Her mother sat across from her.

"Ivy," she called out gently. Ivy looked up. "I just want you to be aware; you may not _have_ a second chance."

Ivy knew. And it was painful, but she knew it wasn't the time to leave. Not yet, at least.

"I know, mom," she said, a weak smile on her face. She was exhausted, barely able to open her eyes. "Do you mind making sure Sanji doesn't get kicked out?"

She felt too tired to do anything. And she felt too weak minded to face the cook again. She was feeling down and she was sure he wasn't feeling any better.

…

The morning next day, Ivy sleepily walked down the stairs, and was worried to discover that Sanji wasn't in the house. She looked in the kitchen, living room, guest room, even barged into the bathrooms and failed to find him. A feeling of fear washed over her.

"M-mom!" she stuttered, almost slipping on the polished wooden floor. Her mom was reading by the fireplace. She looked up from her book and shook her head.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Where's Sanji?! Is he gone? Did I miss him? But it's morning! It's too soon! MOM! I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SAY THAT I-"

"Relax!" her mom said, laughing. "He had to go somewhere, to a restaurant of some sort. He's coming back with some groceries we need."

Ivy slumped on the chair across from her mom, completely relieved. Soon, however, she shot up again. "Mom. You asked him to get us groceries…?"

"Yes," her mom replied, aware of the slight embarrassment Ivy was showing. She put a bookmark in her book and gave her daughter a sly smile. "What was it that you didn't get to say?"

Ivy knitted her eyebrows before giving her lower lip a light bite. "Uh…that I was totally and completely happy that I got to meet him. Of course. Gee, mom, what did you think I was gonna do? Confess my undying love to him?"

Ivy laughed. She heard the front door opening. The butterflies in her stomach were going wild as she got up, realizing she still had her baggy, worn out pajamas on, had bags under her eyes, and a wild nest on her head. However, sadly, she was too late. Sanji came into the living room, holding two big bags of groceries. He had a grin on his face, and a fresh cigarette placed between his teeth.

"Good morning, my dearest Ivy-chan! Looking good!" he bubbled, now heading to the kitchen to set down the grocery bags.

"Ha-ha, yeah…Morning, Sanji. Looking good yourself," she hurriedly said, dashing up the stairs and slamming the door of her room shut.

The time ticked by as fast as Ivy's heart was beating. Not only was she unable to muster the courage to speak her feelings, but she also felt a bad cold on its way. If it wasn't bad enough, that is. She kept sniffling pitifully, and what was worse, Sanji was there, tolerating her nose-blowing and sneezes.

"I'm…sorry," she said. The cook came into the living room, carrying a thick blanket in one hand and mug of tea in the other.

"What are you talking about? It makes me more than happy to be at my Ivy-chan's service!" he replied, carefully handing her the tea and wrapping the blanket around her, tight enough to make her feel snug but loose enough for it to be comfortable.

"So, tell me," he said, sitting next to her. "What was it that you wanted to do?"

"Go to the park," she replied quietly. She turned her head and gazed at the wall clock, which read precisely_ 3:50 p.m_.

"You're sick, Ivy-chan. Wouldn't it be a better idea if we stayed indoors?" he asked, though something in his voice told Ivy he was dying to leave the house as well. She clucked her tongue.

"Don't wanna stay in. Plus, the weather has gotten much better since yesterday. I'll keep warm," she said, nodding her head towards the enormous pile of jackets and scarves her mom had set out for her before leaving for work.

Sanji nodded. She hadn't paid much attention until she followed him out the door. He wasn't wearing the suit she'd let him borrow. He was back to his own suit, which gave her a feeling of dread. Yet another sign of his close departure.

The park was completely empty, aside from the few pigeons that had settled on the benches. The air was cool, but the sun was shining brightly, making up for the coldness of the wind. The two crossed the park, hearing the faint crunches of the sand beneath their steps, which seemed to be forceful the more they walked.

They reached the swings. Ivy comfortably settled on one of them, but unfortunately, the swing was a tad bit too snug for Sanji's liking. Nonetheless, he made himself as comfortable as he could. Ivy glanced at her wristwatch.

_4:13._

She pushed herself away from the ground and began to swing. The cook followed her moves. She got higher and higher, and still, he followed.

"I'll have you know!" she called out over the strong wind. "That I've been swinging for more than eight years of my life!"

"Well then, let's see who can go higher, shall we, Ivy-chan?" Sanji asked playfully.

So they did. And, by the end of their little competition, Ivy was the one who seemed to go higher. Just as they were starting to calm down with their swinging, the blowing wind turned completely still. The two stopped swinging, almost too suddenly. The clouds above them no longer sailed through the sky, and the pigeons had completely stiffened, pausing completely in the middle of giving themselves grooms.

Ivy gripped onto the chains of her swing, facing the ground. The cook didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he could swear he was hearing the sounds of his nakama.

"S-Saanji!" Chopper's voice called out between whimpers. "Where did you go?!"

"Damn you, Ero-cook! You and your stupid disappearance got us lost…" Zoro complained bitterly.

"Robin, have you gone to the few restaurants we passed earlier?" Nami asked, her voice clearly showing exhaustion.

"Yes, and every other store around them. I'm afraid he isn't in the food district anymore, Nami," Robin grimly responded.

"OOOOIII, SANJI!" Usopp called out desperately.

"We'll find him, guys! I'M SURE OF IT!" His captain's voice said, which was full of confidence and determination.

Sanji slowly got off the swing and looked behind him. There was a shimmering doorway, barely visible to his eyes. But he could see what was beyond the doorway. His nakama desperately searching for him. Their expressions were determined yet extremely tired and worried. Even Robin, the one crewmate that rarely showed her true feelings, was shaking her head in concern. And Zoro, his _frenemy _seemed grumpier than usual.

The cook raised his head towards the strange sound of ticking. There was a number hovering right above the doorway, slowly decreasing.

46

45

44

"Shit…Shit!" he cursed, immediately whirling around towards Ivy, who had also gotten up and was sadly staring into the doorway, completely lost in the sight of the cook's troubled nakama. He felt his heart tugging strongly.

Ivy snapped out of it, as she had less than fourty seconds to speak her mind to the blonde man who was able to sweep her into happiness and a new world in less than seven days.

"Sanji!" she began confidentially, her voice not cracking at all. She grinned.

"I like you as much as I like mushroom soup!"

The cook's face had mixed expressions. Surprise, longing, embarrassment, and most importantly, joy.

"Ivy-chan!" he replied, placing his hands around his mouth, as if calling out to her from a distance. "You're _my _special mellorine!"

22

21

20

"Try not to peak so much in Nami's shower, kay?" she requested, her voice breaking ever so slightly.

"I'll _try_," he replied, a grin as big as the moon plastered on his now relieved face. The doorway was slowly, but noticeably beginning to fade away. He took out his lighter and handed it over to Ivy.

"I'd like you to keep that," he said. "Hey, you never know, maybe it'll end up helping me cut back on smoking, right?"

"I sincerely doubt that, Sanji," she laughed, but accepted his _present_.

9

8

7

The cook stepped towards her and wrapped her in a hug so tight she could barely return it properly. Ivy breathed in his unique scent of smoke and what seemed like a natural touch of sea-water.

"Seeya, Ivy-chan," he said, as casually as ever, as if they were to see each other the very next day. "And I _will_ be seeing you again."

"I don't doubt it in the least."

Just before the last second ticked away, Ivy pushed the cook into the doorway. Just as she had pushed him out her own door the first day she had met him.

However, the difference was, the second time she did it, she had to muster up enough will not to go after him. And it was very, very hard.

….

**No…No 8D It is not the end. That would be completely cruel of me.**

**From the beginning, I knew that the answer of Ivy's wouldn't be a simple yes. It seems too easy, to me. But it's not the end yet. Maybe it's the end of Sanji's journey in the modern world, but it's definitely not the end of those two. So, TO BE CLEAR, THERE WILL BE ONE MORE CHAPTER 83!**

_**Guest: -That moment when I was a million days late- I'M SORRY D:! Though, here it is, and I do hope you enjoy it!**_

**And, thank you, every single one of you, for your support, whether it was by favoriting/following/reviewing/or simply reading it or checking it out every once in a while. I sincerely hope you haven't been disappointed!**

**-Dango**


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